A True Friend
by Aceia
Summary: "Every human being must find his own way to cope with severe loss, and the only job of a true friend is to facilitate whatever method he chooses."    Caleb Carr. AU, Slash  Severus/Lucius , angst


**Title: **A True Friend **  
****Author: **Aceia**  
****Gift For: **Silenceberry**  
** **Beta: **Kamerreon**  
****Rating: **R**  
****Pairing: **Severus/Lucius**  
****Warnings: **Angst, AU, slash**  
****Summary: **"Every human being must find his own way to cope with severe loss, and the only job of a true friend is to facilitate whatever method he chooses." ~ Caleb Carr  
**Disclaimer: **If I was J.K. Rowling, the seventh book would never have ended like that.  
**A/N: **Written for the first Secret Santa Exchange on Kamerreon's yahoogroup.

* * *

Ever since Severus came to Hogwarts, Lucius had looked out for him. He had spent many summers teaching Severus the inner workings of pure-blood society and how to survive the blatant disrespect that Slytherins received in Hogwarts and beyond. He was Lucius's little pet project. A lowly half-blood needed a pure-blood sponsor to make it in the greatest circles of society. Severus was from an old line of pure-bloods, but the Muggle taint needed to be eradicated if he was going to be someone in the wizarding world.

First to be replaced was the Yorkshire accent. Lucius's cultivated tones were a good example of how a young pure-blood was supposed to sound, though it took Severus some time to learn how to effectively use his voice. Even years later, he still slipped into the accent of his youth when he was especially angry, or drunk.

Next went the threadbare clothing. Severus was against being gifted a new wardrobe, something about not being a charity case, but that ended after his fifth year. When Severus came to the manor for his summer break, he quietly acquiesced to the change. If it weren't for his greasy hair, which was a mark of his obsession with potions, he would have looked every inch a pure-blood heir. His obsession was commendable, however. Ever since he had first heard inklings of Severus's skill in potions, Lucius had known he would be one of the best – if not _the _best – Potions master in the world.

From then on, Severus looked and acted the part of a young pure-blood. He was finally ready to be taken before the Dark Lord and gain his rightful place in society. His half-blood status would be negated with the strides he would bring in Potions. And Severus went before the Dark Lord and proved him right.

Lucius had watched him, cultivated his growth from a boy with hand-me-down robes that let every snide comment affect him, to the youngest Potions master in a century and a proud member of the Dark Lord's inner circle. You couldn't buy your way into the Dark Lord's favor; he only took those with skill and passion. And in that circle, Severus thrived, inventing new potions and spells that decimated their foes in battle.

Somewhere along the way, their relationship changed. Severus wasn't the wide-eyed child – well as close to wide-eyed as Severus ever was – any longer, looking up in awe to Lucius. Oh, he was still snarky and brooding as ever, but he was more open. Lucius didn't know when the change had happened, but he started to look forward to their meetings. While he missed the unwavering admiration Severus had for him, this new Severus was interesting… _dangerous_. He was favored by the Dark Lord and had access to texts that Lucius would have given his firstborn to have an hour with. He used that knowledge to cement his place within the inner circle, becoming one of the most feared members to the other Death Eaters.

However, Lucius never worried about being on the wrong side of Severus's wand. He had made Severus into who he was and Severus knew that. As the years passed in the Dark Lord's service, they became closer. Severus shared what knowledge he could during their now weekly meetings, staying longer and longer each time. By the time Severus left for the night, well into the wee hours of the morning, Lucius's blood was pumping. Politics, war, where Mudbloods got their magic from… all of it was open for debate. Severus was intellectually stimulating, always keeping Lucius on his toes.

Severus firmly supported the Dark side, but he was critical of it as well. "What good is killing Muggles and Mudbloods if, through our actions, the wizarding world is outed to the Muggles. There are only so many times that a person can mysteriously die before someone is going to question it." On and on he would continue, pointing out flaws in the Dark Lord's regime. Some Lucius could counter with his superior understanding of wizarding history and politics, but others had him stumped long after the Floo grew cold. For some reason, the thought of informing the Dark Lord of Severus's not-so-loyal thoughts never crossed Lucius's mind.

They were brothers-in-arms. Comrades in the fight against the Light. It created a bond that Narcissa never understood. Few people knew the rush of going on a raid, barely escaping the Aurors with the skin of your teeth, eliminating the unworthy from their world. They would come back to the manor, panting and sweating after a fierce duel with the Aurors, high on adrenaline. It was addicting.

It was during one of those nights that Lucius looked at Severus in a different light. Narcissa had told him that she would never be with him again after Draco was born. She had done her duty as a wife and birthed him an heir; she didn't have to do anything else.

He needed an outlet. He needed a visual reminder that he had lived through the night. It was only natural that the one person who had always been with him would provide him this as well. Severus was easy to coax. All Lucius needed to do was smile at Severus in a certain way, pitch his voice into a deep purr and Severus was his. He had a canvas upon which he was the master. Each finger shaped bruise across Severus hips, every bite mark along his neck, every thrust into that warm heat was a reminder of what they had survived. What they were fighting for.

Their relationship was fine – thriving even – until the Dark Lord heard that prophecy. The second he found out which two children it could be about and decided to go after the Potters, Severus changed. He stopped coming on raids, stopped joining Lucius in bed. Lucius didn't know what was going on.

On what was supposed to be their crowning night of glory – the night the Dark Lord destroyed the competition – Severus was inconsolable. When their Marks burned and faded, Severus was nowhere to be found. When Lucius finally found him, he kept raving about that disgusting Mudblood he had been infatuated with during his years at Hogwarts. Tears were streaming down his face. "The Dark Lord was supposed to save her!" he kept yelling over and over again. "He betrayed me."

Why Severus thought that the Dark Lord had betrayed him, Lucius didn't know. The Dark Lord had never spared a Mudblood before. Severus knew that. Lucius tried to reason with him but Severus wouldn't listen. He had this mad glint in his eyes, something that caused Lucius to shiver. Severus had never been known for letting a slight go. He was a champion grudge holder. Lucius worried that he would do something stupid to get revenge, but he couldn't stay to talk him out of it. With the death of the Dark Lord, Lucius needed to get his affairs in order before he was accused and brought before the Wizengamot. It was a well-known secret in society that Lucius had been an active member of the inner circle, and he needed to do some damage control while he was still free to do so.

Lucius didn't see Severus again until Severus was tried for being a Death Eater. Lucius went to his trial, hoping that some way he could get his friend out of prison. Oh, he wouldn't put his own freedom at jeopardy, but he could at least attend and make sure that Severus got a fair trial.

Severus was as sullen as ever when he was brought out, a fire burning brightly in his eyes. However, before anyone could say anything in offense or defense, that old codger had spoken for Severus and got him released. Lucius didn't believe that Severus was actually a spy. He was just smart enough to get the backing of a wizard that people respected. Very Slytherin of him.

But just to be sure, Lucius paid Severus a visit at his quarters in Hogwarts once the trials were over. By then, the press wouldn't care about two alleged Death Eaters meeting in secret. He didn't expect to leave there with a whole new understanding of Severus.

"When have I ever let someone betray me without repercussions?" Severus finally asked after hours of promoting.

Lucius's eyes widened in shock and he hissed, "To go against the Dark Lord is suicide."

"The Dark Lord is dead, Lucius, or have you forgotten. A child – _a half-blood child_ – was able to defeat him," Severus snarled back. "How can you still be infatuated with him after that?"

"I can still feel the link to our Lord, as I am sure you can as well. The Dark Mark might have lightened but it hasn't gone away completely."

"Be that as it may, I have made my decision. He killed her after he agreed to spare her."

"I taught you better than this, Severus. Think about what he is going to do to you when he comes back." Lucius stared at Severus imploringly. Severus had to see reason or the first time he answered the Dark Lord's call he would be tortured as a traitor.

"The only way he is going to know about it is if you tell him." Severus's wand was suddenly in his hand, tapping lightly against his thigh. He wasn't pointing it straight at Lucius but the intent was implied. "You've kept my secrets this long or I would have been killed the first time I spoke out against the senseless murders. What's one more secret between friends?"

Severus raised his eyebrow at Lucius. Lucius didn't know what to do. On the one hand, Severus was right. Lucius had always kept his secrets. On the other… this was something that could get them both killed if it came out – Severus for being a traitor and Lucius for not killing him when he found out.

As he looked at Severus, he couldn't help but remember the scrawny little boy that looked up to him and hung onto every word. Severus had never wavered in his affections towards Lucius. He had thrived under Lucius's tutelage, malleable to every suggestion that Lucius had. Could Lucius really destroy what he had created?

… _No_.

Lucius leaned back in his chair and looked Severus straight in the eye. "Narcissa is looking forward to you watching over Draco when he comes to Hogwarts."

Severus leaned back in his chair and returned his wand to wherever he had taken it from. He picked up his tumbler of brandy and, right before he took a sip, he quirked his mouth up into a slight smile. "I am looking forward to that as well. Any child of yours will be a great addition to Slytherin," he murmured.

Severus's switch in sides was never brought up again.


End file.
